In continuation of the golden, pan-fried bread for hump day tradition, here’s a closer to look at how a ridiculously delightful, recent brunch came together. Indulgent? Check. Utilizing slices from a loaf of bread that wouldn’t hold up to sandwiches? Double check. Adding the bacon seitan that’s known to cause despair when there’s not a slice left in the fridge? Ka-blam.

Fronch Toast w/ Bacon Seitan & Miso-Coconut Sugar Caramelized Figs

Fronchin’

French toast-wise, I go fronch, using this recipe from Vegan with a Vengeance as a base. The batter consists of soy milk, chickpea flour, vanilla bourbon extract, cinnamon, sugar and probably some tapioca starch because it’s always easier to find in my kitchen than cornstarch. Well-soaked sourdough bread gets pan-fried until lightly golden in some canola oil, and then immediately dusted with a pinch more of cinnamon sugar.

Truthfully, I grew up more partial to pancakes, but I can get down with toasty, battered bread smothered in maple syrup and perhaps, some fruit and powdered sugar. That first description is my must here — the pan-toasted bread. I’m not looking for crispy, but I seriously don’t comprehend french toast without a crunch. What’s the point!? (Really, I hear people praising a certain, rather limp vegan french toast in town, and sit here with a confused look on my face). But, I do suppose that has something to do with my inner grilled cheese fanatic, who will choose it on the hypothetical (for now) vegan diner in my head for a meal, any time of day.

The accompaniments:

Cinnamon Sugar (as simple as it sounds, sugar + powdered cinnamon, which is kept in a jar on my shelf of spices)

Maple Syrup, picked up last October at Briermere Farms while pumpkin picking nearby with my sister.

Miso-Coconut Palm Sugar Caramelized Figs [see below]

Upton’s Bacon Seitan, pan-fried. Yeah, everyone is talking about this stuff because it’s just that good.

How to make those Miso-Coconut Palm Sugar Caramelized Figs…

[Recipe notes] This was the initial test run of an idea I had to top an eventual pie with. I don’t work pie in for breakfast often enough, so I gave it a go on this french toast. The figs are split, lobbed almost dengaku-style with a smidge (think: half a teaspoon if half a fig, a quarter teaspoon if it’s quartered) of the 40/60 mixture of white miso and coconut palm sugar (which I adore, but you could totally use brown sugar if you’re not a convert) that’s been combined first with a fork, and pan-fried on medium heat for just under a minute, just as the sugar begins to melt. This will be when the sugar almost turns saucy underneath the halved fig. I’ve been wild for miso in my salted caramel sauces (and every nooch sauce ever, plus everything else) for some time now, and was so dang inspired to try it on the figs I’ve been equally impatiently waiting for on neighborhood trees.

Man, those caramelized figs look so good! At first when the whole sweet and bacon craze started I really resisted it. But I changed my mind after I tried a maple bacon cupcake. This brunch is a great combo of those sweet and savory tastes.

Your breakfast looks amazing! That’s so interesting about putting miso in your caramel sauces! I’ve never tried that. Although, admittedly I’ve only made caramel sauce once, and it was pretty unsuccessful. I always love miso in cheeses, though. It adds such a great richness.

Thanks for linking to my Upton’s seitan bacon post. That stuff is crazy good. They weren’t selling it locally, but my husband and I both sent out emails to local grocery stores. Now we can get it in two different places. We’ll never have to be without seitan bacon again. These are magical times. 🙂